Q: Can I change my Social Security number? A: Social Security generally assigns a person only one Social Security number (SSN). Your number records your individual earnings in order to determine future benefits and, eventually, to track benefits paid on your Social Security record. One SSN per person is very understandable in this context. … Read More

Q: I understand there is a waiting period before Social Security disability benefits actually start. How does it work? A: A waiting period before receiving Social Security disability is in the law to help ensure that benefits are paid only for long-term disability. Once approved, Social Security disability benefits are paid after someone has been… Read More

Q: Who makes Social Security disability decisions? A: The short answer is that disability decisions are made partly by Social Security field office representatives and partly by state employees. Broadly speaking, there are two distinct parts to a disability decision whether the application is for Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Each program has… Read More

Q: How many people receive SSI? A: For local information about Supplemental Security Income (SSI), see SSI Recipients by State and County, 2010. There you will find data for individual states, to the county level, as of December 2010, including the following. Total number of people includes people of all ages for all Supplemental Security… Read More

Today continues my introduction to the three Social Security programs of retirement (old age), survivor and disability insurance (OASDI). More to the point, to conclude the series today I will introduce another separate program that is closely associated with Social Security: Supplemental Security Income (SSI). As with the Social Security programs of retirement (old age),… Read More